


The Morning After

by WordsInTimeAndSpace



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-08
Updated: 2015-05-09
Packaged: 2018-03-16 22:14:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3504659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WordsInTimeAndSpace/pseuds/WordsInTimeAndSpace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“We met each other on a Sunday morning, both doing our walk of shame” AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is unbeta'ed. There might be a sequel, but I can't say when I have time to write it. Warning for a brief, non-explicit mention of drunk sex.

When Rose woke, there was a pounding headache behind her temples that painfully obstructed every attempt of going back to sleep. She groaned as she slowly regained consciousness and rolled on her back, rubbing a hand over her eyes as she scooted deeper under the blanket. As she lay there in the dark, cursing the invention of alcohol, she became aware of a few things beside the obvious hangover: one, she was naked. Two, she didn’t remember _why_ she was naked, or how she had left the club the night before. Three, the bedsheets held the faint scent of fabric softener, a pleasant lavender aura, one that she definitely did not use.

_Shit._

Her eyes popped open and she pushed herself up into a sitting position, a movement she immediately regretted as a wave of dizziness crashed over her. Rose took a few deep, measured breaths until her head stopped spinning, and tried again to open her eyes. She blinked in the dim light of the room, and finally gathered the courage to gaze onto the sleeping form beside her.

Adam. She bit back a curse as she recognised him, still dead asleep with his mouth hanging open. Rose buried her head in her hands, sitting still for a few seconds, hoping everything would turn out as a stupid dream when she opened her eyes again. But he was still there, drooling on the mattress, and Rose slipped out of bed as quickly and quietly as she could. She managed to find her clothes in the dark room, despite her swimming head and the queasiness in her stomach, and hastily fled into the en-suite.

As soon as she had closed the door behind her, she let out a groan, leaning her head back against the wood. She had met Adam before through mutual friends, and while he had definitely showed interest in her, she had always thought he was a bit too full of himself to consider this option. Apparently drunk Rose had disagreed, or she had just managed to get distracted by his admittedly pretty face.

Bits and pieces of the previous night slowly came back to her. She remembered meeting Adam at the club when she was out dancing with friends, and she remembered that eventually her friends were gone and for some reason she was still there, with Adam. Then there was nothing, for a longer period of time, before she remembered sloppy kisses, clumsy hands peeling her out of her dress, an awkward rhythm as he moved above her and then his twisted face as he came before she was even close.

With a rush of panic Rose darted to the bin under the sink, letting out a relieved sigh when she found a used condom in there. Apparently drunk Rose hadn’t entirely lost her mind.

Calming down a little, Rose quickly used the loo, cleaned up at the sink and used Adam’s mouthwash to get rid of the foul taste in her mouth. She felt better afterwards, the fog in her head slowly subsiding, although the headache was still throbbing beneath her forehead and fast movements nearly made her throw up. As careful as she could she slipped back into her clothes, the pink dress barely covering her thighs. She watched herself in the mirror for a moment, and decided that if it weren’t for her pale face with the dark circles under her eyes she nearly looked like she was deliberately going for the rock star style, with her ripped tights, smudged eyeliner and mused hair.

With a sigh Rose finally dragged herself away from the mirror and sneaked back into the bedroom. Adam was thankfully still asleep, snoring softly, so Rose quickly located her purse and her heels, and after a moment of hesitation, contemplating if she should leave a message, she slipped out of his flat. She let out a breath in relief as she pulled the door closed behind her.

It was an early Sunday morning, and although the sun was slowly rising over the horizon the streets were still deserted. After checking where she was on her phone, Rose made her way to the nearest tube station, grateful for the silence and the cool air slowly clearing her head. She only had to wait a few minutes for the train to arrive, and by the time she got into the carriage she still hadn’t come across another human being.

But as she stepped inside, she was startled that the train was already occupied by someone else. She stopped abruptly, blood pounding in her ears, and stared at him. There was no way he _couldn’t_ know she was on the way home from a one night stand after a drunken night out. But as she took in his appearance, she realised he was probably doing the same. He had an attractive face that currently looked pale and tired, although more alert than she felt, and while his brown hair was mostly standing up in all possible directions it looked oddly flat at one side of his head, as if he had slept on that spot. The brown suit was rumpled, the suit jacket buttoned up as far as possible, and wait- was he wearing anything underneath it?

Before Rose could contemplate on this question he raised his head in her direction, his lips twitching slightly as his gaze swept over her. Rose felt her cheeks heat up and quickly averted her eyes, sitting down as far away from him as possible.

She took a few deep breaths, but the stale air and the rocking of the carriage as the train took off brought the dizziness back at full force. Rose leaned forward, resting her arms on her knees, and desperately tried to concentrate on her breathing as her vision swam before her eyes. The queasiness in her stomach got worse too, the noise and the bright lights not helping to reduce her discomfort. Rose began to panic as bright spots danced in front of her eyes, and was nearly calling out for help when a hand on her back made her flinch.

“Shh, it’s alright,” a voice said, calm and soothing. Rose blinked, managing to raise her head enough to recognise the man with the brown suit and wild hair on the seat next to her. “Just breathe until you’re feeling better,” he instructed. “Slow and deep, come on. D’you need to lie down?”

Rose shook her head and did as she was told, taking a deep breath and holding it for a second before the air whooshed out of her lungs. She did it again, slower this time, and the man nodded approvingly. His fingers moved in a comforting motion over her back, his skin feeling cool through her thin dress.

“Good. How’s the dizziness? Better?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Rose croaked as her vision slowly cleared. She nearly protested as the calming hand vanished from her back, but in the next second a bottle of water appeared right in front of her and she looked up, confused.

The man nodded towards the bottle. “You’re probably dehydrated. Alcohol does that to you; depletes all the fluids from your body. Come on, drink. Doctor’s orders. Oh, and the Doctor, that’s me.”

Rose took the bottle from his hands, too overwhelmed by this rambling to protest, and hesitantly took a sip. The cool water felt calming in her dry throat, and she gratefully gulped down more. The Doctor’s face relaxed as she drank, the worry in his features replaced by a tentative smile.

“There you go. Feeling better?” he asked, and Rose nodded.

“Yeah, loads. Thank you,” she said as she handed the bottle back to him. The dizziness was slowly getting better, and despite her expectations the water seemed to settle her upset stomach. Rose slumped back onto the seat, burying her face in her hands.

“This is so embarrassing,” she blurted out. “I’m sorry, I really am. I usually don’t do stuff like this. I mean…” She trailed off, not able to speak the words out loud.

“Well,” the Doctor started, sounding a bit sheepish. “Considering my own, er, position, you have nothing to be embarrassed about.”

Rose looked at him through her fingers, and saw how he nervously tugged at his ear while a slight blush spread on his cheeks. It made her lower her hands, and she could barely suppress a smile.

“So this is what it looks like, then?” she asked.

“If this looks like I’m doing my walk of shame after shagging a stranger last night while being a bit sloshed, then yes. Is it that obvious?” He turned to her, his eyes sparkling in amusement.

“A bit yeah. The clothes and the hair give you away, mister.”

“Well, you’re one to talk,” he said, sweeping his gaze over her and making Rose blush a little.

“I never denied it,” Rose said with a sigh, relaxing when not even a trace of disapproval appeared on the Doctor’s face. She turned in her seat until she could face him properly. “I’m Rose, by the way. Rose Tyler.”

“Nice to meet you, Rose. Well, I guess the circumstances could be nicer, but the point still stands.”

“And you are…?”

“Like I said, the Doctor.” He gave her a dazzling smile that made her heart beat a little faster.

“That’s not a name,” she protested, a smile tugging at her lips.

“It is for me! But if you insist on a real name, I’m John Noble. I prefer the Doctor, though.”

“What, why? To make you all mysterious?”

The Doctor shrugged. “Well, maybe,” he said with a grin. Rose watched him for a second, not sure what to think about him, except maybe that the sparkling eyes and the grin on his lips made him look even more foxy, before she broke out into laughter.

“Ah, I get it. That’s your pick up trick, isn’t it? Is that how you picked up the girl last night?”

“No!” the Doctor cried, a look of horror briefly passing his face. “No, it’s just a nickname I got at uni. And if you really want to know, I think it was more like _she_ picked me up last night, not the other way around.”

“Really?”

“Well, she was rather… persistent to get what she wanted. French, somehow related to some aristocrats, so probably her upbringing is to blame for that. But I don’t think I could keep up with her expectations. She threw me out this morning.”

“Why would anyone threw _you_ out? You’re gorgeous,” Rose said before she could stop herself. She clasped a hand above her mouth, pressing her eyes closed. “I think I might still be a little drunk,” she mumbled, but opened her eyes when she heard him chuckle next to her.

“You’re not so bad yourself,” the Doctor said.

“Thanks,” she said, still embarrassed, but the smile was back on her lips.

“So, same question. Why would he throw you out? Or she? Neither?”

Rose laughed. “He. And he didn’t threw me out, I sneaked away while he was still sleeping to avoid the awkward morning after.”

The Doctor fixed her with a sympathetic look. “Oh, I see. Was it bad? The sex, I mean?”

“I have no idea why I’m talking to you about this, but yes. It was.”

“Sympathy because we’re in the same place, I guess?” he mused, but then his face suddenly turned serious, an infuriated look entering his eyes. “Wait, he didn’t… took advantage of you?”

“No, I guess not,” Rose said quickly. “We both had too much to drink and drunk me was probably totally into him. He _is_ a bit pretty. He’s just annoying if he’s talking.”

The Doctor’s lips twitched, relief obvious on his face. “A bit pretty, huh?” he asked. “Is that your type?”

Rose looked up at him, raising an eyebrow. “If you’re trying to ask if _you_ are my type, I think we’ve already covered that.”

The Doctor looked rather smug, and grimaced when Rose playfully hit his arm.

“Don’t flatter yourself. It’s not that I’m sleeping with guys just because of their pretty face. Usually,” she said.

“Right, of course not. Didn’t think you would,” he said quickly, averting his eyes.

“Good.”

There were a few seconds of silence between them before he spoke again. “What about breakfast?”

“What?” Rose asked in confusion, raising her eyebrows. The Doctor suddenly looked nervous.

“Er, do you go out for breakfast with blokes if they’ve got a pretty face? With me, maybe, now? Nothing like a full English to cure a hangover.”

Rose contemplated his question for a second, relieved when she noticed the nausea had subsided enough that the thought about food didn’t made her retch. His brown eyes were fixed on her face as he waited for an answer, and Rose finally let out the breath she was holding, licked her lips and nodded. “Yeah. Sounds good.”

The Doctor broke out into a bright grin; a smile that made her feel all fuzzy and warm inside and spread on her face like it was infectious.

“Brilliant!” he exclaimed. “I know just the place. Let’s get out at the next station.”

He jumped up in a swift movement before whirling around to her. Rose blinked, his fast movements making her feel a bit dizzy again, before her eyes focused on the hand he was holding out to her. He wiggled his fingers and Rose laughed at the daft expression he was giving her, before placing her hand in his. The Doctor pulled her to her feet, steadying her when she swayed as the train pulled into the station.

“Right then, Rose Tyler,” he said, and the way her name fell over his lips made her want to snog the stupid grin off his face. “Allons-y!”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, this is unbeta'ed. I'm thinking about a third part just to, err... relieve the tension *cough* But life is busy right now, so I can't promise anything. Hope you enjoy!

The Doctor's plan to have breakfast at a charming little café was quickly rejected as they stood in front of closed doors.

“Oh bugger,” the Doctor said as he inspected the opening hours. “Should've thought about this. It's a bit past six. They won't open for another three hours.”

“I doubt we'll have any luck anywhere else then,” Rose said, her hand suddenly feeling empty as the Doctor let go of it to check the time on his phone.

“Not without a time machine. Sorry,” he said, a bit sheepish, and scratched the back of his head.

“No, it's alright, not your fault.” Rose focused her gaze on a piece of paper on the pavement she was shuffling around with her heel. Her feet were starting to hurt in her shoes. “We can do it another time, maybe.”

“No!” the Doctor cried, loud enough to make her flinch. “Sorry, I mean... I want to spend some more time with you, today. If that's alright. My flat is right around the corner, and while I can't promise a full English breakfast I can at least do eggs and bacon. What do you say?”

Rose eyed him a bit suspiciously, not sure what to answer. It wasn't usually like her to end up in the flat of a bloke she barely knew, still a bit tipsy and only clad in a dress that could hardly be shorter. But then she nodded, and a smile immediately spread on the Doctor's lips.

She wasn't sure what made her say yes; maybe the fact that she had already done the exact same thing the night before, maybe his hopeful eyes, reminding her a little of a puppy she just wanted to cuddle, or the fact that she just _liked_ him. When he took her hand, brushing his thumb gently over her skin in a way that sent a shiver down her spine, the reason didn't really matter.

Her reaction didn't go unnoticed by the Doctor, and he turned to her, frowning. “Are you cold?” he asked, letting go of her hand to trail his fingers up her arm. His touch did nothing against the goose bumps on her skin.

“It's fine,” Rose rushed to reassure him, but before she could blink the Doctor had shrugged out of his suit jacket and placed it around her shoulders. Rose could only stare as her earlier question was finally answered: he was not wearing anything underneath that jacket.

“Where's your shirt?” she asked, hoping he didn't notice how her voice was a pitch higher than usual.

The Doctor shrugged, and with difficulty Rose tore her gaze away from the flexing muscles on his lean torso to look him in the face.

“Temporarily misplaced it,” the Doctor said, and Rose's lips twitched.

“Is that your way of saying that you lost it while you were drunk?” she asked. A flush spread on the Doctor's cheeks and he cleared his throat.

“Well, maybe. Doesn't matter. Is that better?” he asked quickly. Rose wrapped his jacket tighter around herself, inhaling deeply as she noticed his scent clinging to the fabric. Hiding her smile in the collar, she nodded.

“It is, thank you. But aren't you cold now?”

“Nah.” The Doctor grinned. “Superior biology! I'm Scottish; I don't get cold.”

“Seriously?” Rose asked, frowning. “You don't sound Scottish. You sound like you lived in London all your life.”

“Well, I did. Most of my life. I grew up in Scotland until I was six, and then moved to London.”

Rose waited for him to continue, but he stayed silent. She wanted to ask what had happened, and the question was already on her lips when she stopped. In their comfortable conversation she had nearly forgotten that she had just met him, and with the way his brow was furrowed, his lips pressed into a thin line, the question suddenly felt too intrusive.

“So, _the Doctor_... how did you get that nickname? Is there a story behind that?” she asked instead. She was relieved when the Doctor turned to her with a smile on his lips, the dark expression on his face brushed aside.

“Well, I _am_ a doctor,” he said. “And my friend thought the name was fitting after he only saw me in a lab coat and glasses for two months straight while I was working on my thesis.”

Rose giggled at the images in her head. “So you're a proper doctor, then? A medical one?”

“Nope. I got my degree in astrophysics,” he said, flashing her a grin. “Well, and in history, but that was just to pass some time.”

“You got a doctorate just because you were _bored_?” Rose asked, whirling around to him as he suddenly stopped.

“History is fascinating, Rose! The fall of the Roman Empire, Boston Tea Party, the time the Netherlands went to war with the Isles of Scilly for 335 years. No casualties. Oh, and we're there,” he said, opening the door to the building. He waited for her to enter, and then led her up the stairs and into his flat.

Rose smiled as she took in her surroundings. The flat was exactly like she had expected it from him: a little chaotic, with books and papers stacked on every available surface, furniture that didn't fit together and pictures covering the walls, but it had a personal touch that made it feel cosy and welcoming.

“Don't mind the mess,” the Doctor said, flinging his keys into a bowl next to the door. “I'll be right back, just a second.”

Rose watched him disappear into what she suspected was his bedroom. She picked at her nails, suddenly a bit nervous to be alone in a unfamiliar flat with a stranger. She let out a breath before she slipped off her shoes, hung his jacket on the back of the couch and slid onto a stool next to the counter in the kitchen. If she was honest, she had no idea what she was doing. Biting her lip, she rubbed her temple where the headache was still pounding.

Before she could decide what to do the Doctor entered the kitchen, to her disappointment now clad in a washed out T-shirt. His hair was still messy, but it looked different – as if he now had made effort for it to stick up all over the place. Rose couldn't help but smirk at that, but the Doctor had caught her expression a second before. He frowned, leaning against the counter and fixing her with an appraising look.

“How do you feel?” he asked. “Still dizzy?”

Rose shook her head. “It's just a headache,” she said. “D'you have some painkillers?”

The Doctor jumped up immediately, quickly rummaging through a cabinet. “Sure, let me just... ha!” He pulled out a small package, grinning at her. “Ibuprofen. Here we go.”

He placed two small pills and a glass of water in front of her, watching carefully as she swallowed the medication and drank the whole glass.

“So, Rose Tyler,” he said slowly. “We've covered my life, what do you do?”

Rose grimaced. “Nothing so impressive, I'm afraid,” she mumbled, suddenly feeling self- conscious. Here she was, shop-girl from the estates, sitting in the kitchen of a genius with two doctorates. She squirmed in her seat. The Doctor shot her a questioning look, and she sighed.

“I work at Henrik's. Well, only part time now; I'm going back to school to get my A-levels.”

“Oh, but that's brilliant!” he exclaimed, beaming at her over his shoulder as he pulled out eggs and bacon from the fridge. Rose smiled at his sincere enthusiasm, warmth spreading in her chest.

As the Doctor cracked the eggs in the pan they chatted about the subjects she wanted to take for her A-levels and her plans for college. She told him she wanted to study art, and she had to promise a very excited Doctor to show him her paintings sometime. By the time he started to fry the bacon, Rose was relaxed and laughing, her earlier discomfort forgotten.

Her stomach growled as he finally placed the plate in front of her. The Doctor sat down next to her, and Rose inhaled the smell of the food that made her mouth water. She felt a little queasy, but guessing that she was just hungry Rose dug into the eggs with gusto. But with each bite the knot in her stomach got tighter, and when she tried the bacon nausea crashed over her so sudden and vigorous all she could do was clamp a hand over her mouth and hope to make it to the toilet in time.

“Loo's on the right!” the Doctor yelled somewhere behind her as she darted out of the kitchen. Without thinking she stumbled into the bathroom, lucky that the lid was up as she fell down on her knees beside the toilet and retched. Her stomach clenched painfully, and even when she had emptied its contents into the bowl she was still gagging, gasping for breath. The vomiting left her flushed and light-headed, with tears streaking down her cheeks. She collapsed on the floor as the nausea subsided enough that she could breathe.

She heard footsteps entering the bathroom, and groaned in embarrassment, leaning her face against the cool tiles on the wall next to her. “I'm alright, just give me a minute,” she mumbled. Her head was still spinning and her legs felt so wobbly she collapsed right back to the ground when she tried to get up.

“Don't be silly,” the Doctor said as he crouched down next to her. He gently rubbed a hand over her back.

“No, you shouldn't have to see me like this,” Rose whined, far beyond the point where she cared how pathetic she sounded.

“I don't mind,” he said, more persistent than before, and Rose finally managed to open her eyes. He gave her a sympathetic smile she was too tired to return. “Can I?” the Doctor asked gently, holding up a hand, and she nodded. He wiped her mouth and her sweaty forehead with a wet cloth that felt like heaven on her heated skin.

“I'm sorry; should have remembered that ibuprofen can be a bit nasty on an empty stomach,” he said, brushing her hair out of her face. “Think you can get up?”

With the Doctor's help Rose made it back to her feet and managed to stay in an upright position long enough to rinse her mouth and splash a bit of water in her face. When her knees wobbled again he was there to catch her, picking her up without hesitation.

“What're you doing?” Rose asked, her words slurring, as he carried her out of the bathroom and straight into his bedroom.

“You should lie down for a minute,” he said, frowning at her.

“I think I should get home,” Rose said as he tucked her into his bed. She blinked as lights danced in front of her eyes. She tried to get up again, but her arms felt weak and her stomach hurt, so she finally let herself sink back into the cushions.

“When you're feeling better, alright?” the Doctor said and Rose nodded, too tired to protest. She winced as her stomach cramped painfully. The mattress dipped beside her as the Doctor lay down next to her. He reached out to stroke his hand over her arm in a comforting gesture, and Rose sighed quietly as she closed her eyes. With his soothing voice in her ear, she drifted off to sleep.

~~~

When Rose woke, she was curled around a warm body. Her face was resting on a chest that was slowly rising and falling, and as she inhaled his scent she pressed her nose into his shirt, enjoying the closeness. It was only when the body underneath her let out a soft snore that her memory abruptly came back to her. She sat up with a start, staring at the Doctor who was still sleeping peacefully.

Rose suppressed a groan, burying her face in her hands. She hazily remembered how the Doctor had tried to get out of bed soon after she had nodded off, a motion that had woken her enough to complain and cling to him until she had felt his warm body return to her side. He had kept his touches deliberately innocent, only resting his hand on her arm while keeping a few inches of space between their bodies. But Rose knew she was prone to cuddle everything in reach when she was sleeping, so she wasn't surprised to wake up in his arms.

Waking up next to a stranger twice in the same morning, that had to be a new record.

Except this time, Rose didn't feel the urge to run. Instead, she smiled as she watched the Doctor's relaxed face, and settled back down next to him.

Although the last remains of sleep still lingered on her she felt more alert that she had all morning; with the dizziness finally gone and the headache transforming into a light pressure instead of the dull throbbing that had tormented her earlier.

It wasn't long until the Doctor woke, blinking sleepily until his eyes fell on her. His lips curled into a smile. “Hello,” he said.

“Hello,” Rose answered, blushing under his gaze.

“Are you feeling better?”

“Yeah, loads.” Rose stretched and watched him warily as he propped himself up on one elbow. “Thank you. And I'm sorry for... you know.”

“For your rude reaction to my delicious breakfast or for the cuddle attack while you were sleeping?” the Doctor asked with a wink.

“For drooling onto your shirt,” Rose said with a straight face. The Doctor burst out laughing and Rose joined in after a few seconds. When she calmed down her cheeks hurt and she wiped at her eyes which were filled with tears.

“This is a bit strange,” she finally admitted, and the Doctor nodded.

“It is. Can't say I have done this before.”

“Yeah, me neither. But it feels so weird, you know? I mean I woke up next to this guy this morning after having sex with him, and nothing happened between us two and it still feels so much more...” She trailed off, not sure how to describe what she felt.

“Intimate?” the Doctor prompted.

“Yeah,” Rose said, feeling her cheeks heat up.

“Well, that's actually easily explained. We did sleep in one bed together, touching all the time. Physical contact stimulates chemicals in the brain that build trust, make you feel comfortable around the other person. Simple biology. Well, with a bit of psychology, but you know what I mean.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yep! If you think about it, a long nap is really a great idea for a first date.”

“So this is a date, then?” Rose asked, suppressing a smile.

“If you want it to be,” the Doctor said, suddenly looking a bit nervous as he pulled on his ear. “Or not. I mean, it can be another one-night stand- although that's not the right word, is it? One-morning stand. But we didn't have sex yet, so that's not exactly accurate-”

“Doctor,” Rose interrupted. He gaped at her for a second before closing his mouth, his teeth clicking together. “A date sounds good.”

The Doctor broke out into a grin. “Oh, that's brilliant!”

Rose's brain suddenly took a step back, remembering his words. “Wait, what do you mean, didn't have sex _yet_? Feeling confident, are we?”

“No! Sorry! I mean, err... just as a hypothetical scenario,” the Doctor said, nervously tugging at his ear. “It's not that I expect you to have sex with me. Of course not! I would never do that. It's your choice and...” He trailed off as Rose couldn't hold back her laughter any more.

“I'm just teasing!” she giggled, and the Doctor's lips twitched as he let out a breath.

“Besides, we just covered that this is a date and not a one-night stand. I don't shag during the first date, Rose Tyler,” he said.

“What a pity,” Rose sighed, enjoying how he blushed and spluttered. “How long will I have to wait?”

The Doctor quickly recovered, and his lips formed a sly grin. “Oh, I don't know... three dates? Think you can resist me for that long?” he asked with a wink.

“Trying my best,” Rose said, his smile sending a shiver down her spine and making warmth pool low in her belly. “But you better take me out for the second date soon, just to be safe.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know the drill: this is unbeta'ed. I apologise for any mistakes and possible german-ness. Also, sorry for taking so long.; my life has been a bit of a mess. But this chapter is really long; so it was hopefully worth the wait!  
> Please also note the change of rating. This chapter contains explicit sex, if that's not your thing you might want to skip the second part of this chapter.

It was like everything had happened out of order, the first time they met. They had already shared such intimate moments as if they had known each other for ages, instead of barely a few hours. Rose didn’t mind, if she was honest; they were comfortable around each other, they had fun, and their accidental cuddle had left her so happy and content she couldn’t stop smiling for the rest of the day.

The problem was, she wasn’t sure if the Doctor felt the same, or if he would have preferred to do things in the way they usually went. Because now, he took the three date rule so serious it was driving Rose mad.

~~~

After they had gotten out of bed on their first morning together, he drove her home in his blue car, saying goodbye on her doorstep by giving her a quick hug. The contact lasted only for a second, and before Rose could wrap her arms around him he pulled back, leaning back on his heels. She blinked up at him, confused, but he just smiled and promised he would call her soon. It was a perfectly normal goodbye for two people who had just met, but to Rose it didn't feel right after the intimacy they had shared earlier.

Keeping his word, the Doctor called her the next day and they spend hours on the phone together, before agreeing to go out the next day.

They went to see a film at the cinema, some sci-fi story set around the end of the world with a dash of romance. Although Rose enjoyed the film it was hard to concentrate, with the way his fingers brushed hers when they reached for popcorn at the same time, or with the way his breath hit her ear when he leaned closer to point out scientific inaccuracies in such an affronted voice that it made her giggle.

After the film Rose dragged him to her favourite chippie. Her first vinegar drenched chip educed a moan out of her mouth, a sound she wasn't really aware of until she saw the Doctor staring at her, mouth hanging open and eyes dark. The moment was over a second later when he realized what he was doing, and he quickly composed his features and cleared his throat, babbling about an experiment he had done at work the previous day.

It wasn't until they walked back to her flat that Rose _finally_ felt his hand slide into hers. His skin was cool as his fingers brushed gently against hers, and Rose could barely contain a smile. She moved closer to him, resting her cheek against his shoulder, and he let out a content hum that made her heart flutter.

“I had a good time,” Rose said as they finally reached her door, turning to him with their hands still linked. The Doctor smiled broadly, his face relaxed and content.

“Me too,” he said softly, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. Rose breath hitched as she met his gaze again, his eyes dark and hooded, and she slowly licked her lips. The Doctor's eyes fluttered to her mouth, just for a second, and she saw his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed. He leaned closer, very slowly, and Rose was sure that this was it.

This was the second he would toss the three date rule out of the window, and instead press her against the door with his lips moving hungrily over hers. Rose raised her chin, puckering her lips to meet his, but in the last second he tilted his head, pressing a lingering kiss to her cheek. She let out a shaky breath, hoping the Doctor didn't notice how her heart was racing in her chest.

The Doctor finally pulled back and smiled at her softly, not quite meeting her eyes.

“Good night, Rose,” he said, and before she could grab his lapels to pull his mouth back to hers he turned around, vanishing into the night. Rose let out a sigh. This was going to be a long week.

Despite her frustration, the next days flew by in a haze of work and classes. She came up with a range of vague excuses for her flatmate Amy why her mobile buzzed every other minute with a text message, and why she was still grinning broadly after a long and exhausting day, looking forward to their daily phone call. Considering Amy's smirk whenever she reached for her phone, the other woman knew exactly what was going on.

And suddenly it was Saturday. That was it: date number three.

~~~

Rose tilted her head as she watched herself in the mirror. She trailed her fingers through her hair that fell loosely around her shoulders, touched up her lipstick one last time and tugged at the hem of her shirt. The Doctor had asked for casual, so here she was in her best jeans, trainers and a brand new blue shirt that revealed more cleavage than she was used to.

The doorbell pulled her abruptly out of her thoughts. Rose cursed under her breath and darted out of the bathroom, but by then the door was already open and Amy was sizing up the Doctor. He stood in the door frame and rubbed his neck, shifting uncomfortably under Amy's gaze. His face lit up when he saw Rose, his eyes sparkling, and Rose couldn't help but grin back.

Amy looked from the Doctor to Rose and back, and rolled her eyes. “You're so far gone,” she sighed, and Rose tried hard not to blush.

A few minutes later she sat in the Doctor's car and watched him as he put the car into first gear and pulled away from the kerb. She bit her lip in anticipation.

“You gonna tell me where we're going?” she asked, and a grin appeared on the Doctor's lips.

“Nope!” he chirped. “It's a surprise. A really brilliant surprise. You're gonna love it.”

“You think you're so impressive,” Rose laughed.

“I am so impressive! Just you wait, you'll agree at the end of the evening.”

“Is that a promise, Doctor?” Rose teased, and the Doctor shot her a smug grin.

“Yes, it is. So, any ideas on our destination?” he asked, gesturing at the street in front of them. With difficulty Rose tore her gaze away from his face, looking at the sign they just passed.

“We're going into town?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Well, that's the broad direction.”

“You're not going to take me up the London Eye, are you? Because I said I've never been?”

The Doctor huffed. “Rose, I said _impressive_ , and I mean it. I can do better than standard tourist attractions.”

He let her guess all the remaining way, his smile growing wider with each false speculation. When he finally parked the car, Rose still had no idea what he was planning. She didn't recognize the street, but the Doctor just took her hand, leading her into the direction he wanted. Rose grinned, not really caring where they were going as long as his hand stayed in hers, warm and soft and fitting perfectly into her palm.

After they had walked for a few minutes the Doctor tugged her away from the street into an alleyway, and Rose raised an eyebrow at him.

“You're not secretly a mass murderer who attacks his victims in dimly lit alleys, are you?” she asked, and the Doctor rolled his eyes.

“We're just taking the back entrance. Here we are!”

He stopped in front of a steel door, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. Rose craned her neck to take in the large building, but still couldn't figure out what he had planned. Her eyes shot back to the Doctor as he pulled a screwdriver out of his pocket and knelt in front of the door, inspecting the lock with his glasses perched on his nose.

“What are you doing?” she asked in alarm as he slid the screwdriver between the door and the frame, wriggling the tool until the lock opened with a click. Before she could protest, the Doctor hauled the door open and dragged her inside with him. The door fell shut behind them with a heavy thud, plunging them into darkness.

Rose's heart pounded in her chest as she reached for the Doctor's hand beside her.

“Are you gonna tell me now where we just broke in?” she hissed, not daring to raise her voice. The Doctor chuckled and squeezed her hand.

“We're not breaking in. I do have a key, the lock is just stuck. Wait here.”

He let go of her hand and left her side. Rose cried out, not wanting him to leave her alone in the dark, but seconds later the lights went on. Rose blinked at the sudden brightness, shielding her eyes with her fingers. When she finally adjusted to the light the Doctor was back at her side, beaming down at her.

“Go on, take a look around,” he said, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

Rose couldn't help but smile at the way his lips formed a broad grin and his eyes twinkled in excitement. The Doctor stepped aside, revealing a broad room with high ceilings. Rose gasped as she realized where they were.

“The planetarium?” she asked in disbelief, taking in the pictures covering the walls and vitrines containing various exhibits. She slowly walked over to a model of their solar system that was dangling from the ceiling, the earth spinning in a light draft.

“Oh, you've been here before?” the Doctor asked happily. Rose spun around to him.

“We broke into the bloody _planetarium_?”

“No! I told you, I have a key. I work here. Well, sometimes. Shows for kids and all that.” He rubbed his neck. “They're closed for reconstructions at the moment. No one will mind that we're here.”

Rose let out a laugh and shook her head.

“This is definitely a first. Can't say someone took me out on a date to an empty planetarium before.”

“Impressive, right?” the Doctor teased.

Rose bit her lip to hold back a smile. “Oh, dunno. You're at least on the right way.”

The Doctor huffed and took her hand, gently tugging her along. “Wait until you hear my extensive knowledge to every single exhibit. I'm the best tour guide on this whole planet.”

“Only on this planet?” Rose bit her lip, suppressing a smile.

“Yes, obviously. Given a probability very close to one hundred percent for the existence of alien lifeforms somewhere in this universe, one can assume that somewhere, on a planet a few galaxies away, an alien exists that is better than me. I'm modest enough to acknowledge that.”

Rose giggled. “Are you sure that you're not that alien? You talk sometimes like you're from a different planet.”

“Oh, admit that you love it, Rose Tyler,” the Doctor said with a wink.

~~~

Together they strolled through the exhibition, hand in hand. The Doctor knew the whole place by heart, guiding her from one place to the next, an answer on his lips every time she asked a question. He beamed at her every time, as if she had just asked the cleverest thing in the world, obviously excited that Rose was interested and enjoying herself. Rose couldn't help it – if the Doctor smiled at her, the skin around his eyes crinkling, and talked together with enthusiastic gestures, she would probably love every single word that fell over his lips.

They had a picnic in front if a picture showing a far off solar system, taken with one of the fanciest telescopes in existence, as the Doctor told her. The image took in the whole wall, and Rose viewed the bright blue and purple colours as she munched on a sandwich and sipped her tea.

After the break the Doctor tugged her along to the center of the exhibition, bouncing on the balls of his feet. With a mischievous grin he opened a door, leading her into a vast, circular room. Rose grinned as she took in the dome that spanned the room instead of a flat ceiling, and the comfy chairs beneath it.

“Best seats are in the back,” the Doctor announced. “Make yourself comfortable, I'll be right back.”

Just a minute after Rose had slumped down on one of the seats in the back row, the room was suddenly plunged into darkness. A second later the globe was illuminated, showing a night sky scattered by hundreds of stars. Rose held her breath in awe, leaning back into the chair. The Doctor slid into the seat next to her.

“Doctor, this is amazing,” she whispered and turned her head to see him watching her with a soft smile on his lips.

“I'm glad you like it,” he said. He was so close to her that Rose's breath hitched. His arm was resting on the back of her seat, his fingers gently brushing her shoulder. He leaned closer to her, so close that Rose's eyes fluttered down to his lips and she wondered if he was finally going to kiss her.

But instead the Doctor gulped and turned his eyes to the projection above their heads. Rose suppressed a sigh and rested her head against his shoulder, breathing in his scent as she took a deep breath.

“You see that bright star over there?” the Doctor asked, raising his hand to point in the direction. “That's Polaris, the Pole Star. You can usually see it outside on a clear day, even in London. It's part of the Ursa Minor constellation, better known as The Little Bear.”

Rose frowned at the image.

“I've always wondered why they call it that. Doesn't look like a bear, does it?”

“I guess not,” the Doctor said, tilting his head. “Oh, look, we're moving away from earth! That's my favourite part of the show!”

The image above their heads changed, zooming in towards far off planets. Burning suns illuminated the ceiling; meteors raced by, leaving a trail of fire in their wake when they hit the atmosphere of a planet; black holes loomed, destructive and all-consuming and still beautiful.

Rose held her breath, and turned her head as if she had felt his eyes on her. The Doctor was watching her with an intense gaze, his eyes hooded, lips slightly parted. He looked as if she was the most fascinating thing in the world, despite all the wonders swirling above their heads. The hand on the back of her seat moved, slowly, until his fingers brushed her neck. Rose leaned into his touch, and encouraged by this the movements of his fingers grew bolder. The Doctor trailed his fingers up her neck until they met the base of her skull, and he cupped the back of her head. Rose's breath hitched. The Doctor gently held her in place, and bowed his head down to hers. His breath tingled on her skin, and Rose didn't dare to breathe, heat and anticipation coiling so tight inside her it matched the supernova exploding above their heads.

His lips brushed hers, just barely. And suddenly the lights went on.

The Doctor jerked back, looking alarmed.

Rose opened her mouth to voice her confusion, but then someone was shouting, down the hallway, moving closer to them. With one quick movement the Doctor jumped up and grabbed her hand. Their eyes met for a second.

“Run,” the Doctor said.

~~~

Hand in hand they darted down the second exit, the Doctor dragging Rose behind him. They crossed the hall with a few quick steps, and before Rose could comprehend what was happening, they dashed out into the chilly night air.

It wasn't until they reached the end of the alley that the Doctor slowed down. They turned the corner and finally stopped. The Doctor let go of her hand to trail it through his hair, and Rose leaned her back against the brick wall behind her, trying to catch her breath.

“Who was that?” she asked when she finally managed to speak.

The Doctor turned towards her and gulped.

“Err, I guess that was Freddy, the security guard. He's a nice guy, really.”

“And why have we been running from him? I thought you were allowed in there!”

“I am! It's just...” The Doctor trailed off and rubbed the back of his head. “Just because I'm technically allowed to be there does not mean they _know_ about this. We wouldn't have gotten into trouble, but it would have been an awful lot of explaining.”

Rose stared at him for a second, her mouth wide in disbelief. She shook her head, bit her lip and turned away from him, barely able to hold herself together as her shoulders shook in silent laughter.

“Rose?” the Doctor asked, his voice full of concern. “I'm so sorry. Really, I am. I messed up, and I understand if you're angry but-”

Rose whirled around to him just as the first giggle left her lips. One look at his baffled face and she burst into laughter properly. The Doctor still looked confused, but his lips twitched upwards as she wrapped her arms around her middle, trying hard to calm down.

“I can't believe you did that,” she said between giggles as soon as she got enough air into her lungs to speak. “You're so daft.”

And then it happened, finally, after she had been waiting for it the whole week. It happened so fast and abrupt that Rose’s brain could barely catch up; all she knew was that the Doctor made a step forward, wrapped an arm around her waist and pressed his lips to hers.

Inside, their kiss had been chaste and sweet, with their lips only touching for a second. Now, it was as if all the heat and anticipation accumulated during the past week was released at once, making her breath hitch and her blood boil. His lips moved boldly against hers, coaxing her to return the kiss with an equal passion. They broke apart for a second, giving Rose barely enough time to suck in a breath before their mouths met again, slightly parted this time. Rose trailed her tongue along his bottom lip and he responded to this invitation with an enthusiasm that made her legs wobble, slipping his tongue into her mouth with a muffled groan.

She barely registered how her back hit the wall behind her, his lean body pressing her firmly against the bricks, until the Doctor finally broke the kiss, resting his forehead against hers. Breathing heavily, Rose tried to get her racing heart back under control.

“Not that I'm complaining, but what brought this on?” she asked when she regained her voice.

“Wanted to do that since I met you,” the Doctor confessed, pulling back enough to give her a crooked smile. “That, and you laughing when I mess up is definitely the hottest thing I've seen for a while. People usually yell at me when that happens.”

Rose let out a breathless giggle. “Bet that it's not gonna be the hottest thing you see today,” she teased, her tongue poking out at the corner of her mouth.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. “Is that so, Ms. Tyler?”

“Why don't you find out?”

And with that, his lips were back on hers. He cupped her face in his hands as they kissed and Rose clutched at the lapels of his suit, tugging him down to her, still not close enough. The Doctor shifted, his hips pressing against hers, and Rose moaned into his mouth as she felt his arousal against her. She whimpered when the Doctor pulled back, breathing heavily while he rested his hands against the brick wall behind her, each hand on either side of her head.

“D'you...” he started, breaking off suddenly to clear his throat. “Do you want to go back to my place?” he asked, his eyes dark.

Rose broke out into a smile. “Thought you'd never ask.”

~~~

The way back to the car was short, but the streets out of the town centre were crammed, and the Doctor cursed under his breath as they slowly made their way through the traffic. Rose fumbled with the hem of her shirt, suddenly nervous as the Doctor's tension swept over to her. She cast a glance at him while his eyes were fixed on the street. She raised her hand, reaching for his left one resting on the gear shift, but in the same moment he moved both his hands to the steering wheel, clutching it tightly.

When they finally reached his flat and shut the door behind them, Rose let out a long breath. One look at the Doctor's still flushed cheeks was all it took to send a shiver of anticipation through her.

He kicked off his trainers and she followed him to the living room, where he finally turned around to her, shifting uncomfortably.

“Err... do you want some tea?” he blurted out, rubbing the back of her neck.

“No,” she said, biting her lip as she contemplated his expression. She saw him swallow hard and made a step towards him, grasping his hand.

“Doctor, do you have second thoughts about this?” she asked, and he finally looked at her properly.

“Nope,” he said, letting out a breath. “Sorry. This is just, err, not something I usually do.”

“You mean, you usually get the girl into your bed the night you meet her?” Rose teased, and the Doctor laughed, his tense shoulders relaxing.

“Rose Tyler, despite what you may think with the way we met, I don't make a habit out of that,” he said with a twinkle in his eyes she had missed since they had started their way home. She took another step forward, now standing directly in front of him, and smoothed down the lapels of his suit while he rested his hands on her waist.

“It's just... I'm not very good at all this,” the Doctor said, looking nervous again, before she had the chance to answer. “I mean, not when it really matters.”

Rose tilted her head, watching him closely. “I think you were doing just fine when you were kissing me.”

“Really?” His lips twitched.

“Yeah. Maybe you should go back to doing that,” Rose said with a smile and the Doctor grinned before dipping his head to kiss her.

She sighed against his mouth, happy and content to feel his lips back on hers, and trailed her fingers up his neck to burrow them in his really great hear. Her nails scraped lightly over his scalp, and the Doctor shivered under her touch and pulled her closer.

Lost in the sensations of the kiss, Rose barely registered how the Doctor guided them to the bedroom. But as soon as the door slammed shut behind them, she was tearing at the buttons of his oxford while he slid his hands under her shirt, pushing the fabric up her chest until she had to let go of him to pull it over her head. The Doctor used this to get rid of his T-shirt as well, dropping it to the floor without care. When he pulled her back into his arms she shivered in response to the feel of his naked skin against hers. Arousal burned in her veins as she let her hands wander over his lean torso, delighted that she was finally able to touch him the way she wanted.

The Doctor guided her backwards to his bed and she lay down, pulling him with her without breaking their kiss. With their movements getting frantic they peeled each other out of their remaining clothes, until they were both finally naked. The Doctor lowered his body to hers, his skin hot and sweaty and his arousal hard against her thigh.

Rose raised her hips with a whimper, searching for friction, and when the Doctor's cock slid along her wetness they both gasped. Rose placed her hands on his hips, ready to pull him down so that she could finally feel him inside her. But the Doctor pushed himself up so he was hovering a few inches above her. At her questioning glance he shot her a smug smile before kissing her hard until her head was swimming and every coherent thought had left her mind.

He began peppering kisses along her jaw and down her neck, lingering at her breasts to palm his tongue over her nipples, until he moved further down her body with wet, open-mouthed kisses. Rose's breath hitched as she realised his intent, and the Doctor stopped, his face now hovering right over her sex, to look her in the eyes.

“Is this okay?” he asked, his voice rough, and Rose quickly nodded.

“Yes, please,” she whined as she spread her legs for him, and the Doctor grinned, nipped at her thigh and drove straight to where she needed him most.

Her hips arched at the first touch of his tongue against her clit. The Doctor hummed as he took in her flavour, licking slowly from the small bundle of nerves down to her opening and back, circling her clit with a teasing motion.

Rose moaned, opening her eyes to look down her body. The sight of the Doctor's head between her legs together with the sensation of his sideburns scratching her thighs and his hot breath against her folds drove her need even higher, the arousal setting every fibre of her body on fire. For a second she thought she could come just like this, but the friction still wasn't enough.

She let out a whimper as his tongue ghosted close to her clit. The Doctor sensed her need, and when Rose arched her back, trying to raise her hips closer to his mouth, he finally stopped teasing and instead palmed his tongue over her clit, setting up a rhythm with firm strokes.

Her pleasure built with a rapid force, after all the sexual frustration in the past week that her fingers alone couldn't resolve. When the Doctor grabbed her hips a little tighter, flicked his tongue over her clit one last time and moaned her name against her folds it finally pushed her over the edge. She was falling for what felt like ages as her orgasm burnt through her, and when she cooled down she was panting and not sure if she'd ever come so hard in her life.

The Doctor pressed one last kiss to her curls before pushing himself up and crawling up her body. Rose brushed her hair out of her face and met his gaze, his eyes dark and sparkling with satisfaction.

“Alright, that was impressive,” she said and the Doctor broke out into a smug grin.

“Told you-” he began, but before he could finish the sentence Rose dragged him down for a kiss. Distracting him by slipping her tongue into his mouth and ranking her nails down his chest, she managed to flip them over in one swift movement. She had to break the kiss as she settled properly on the Doctor's lap, but the look on his face as her center brushed over his erection was worth every second her lips were apart from his.

It all happened in a rush, after this point: kisses getting more and more desperate, hands roaming and stroking and teasing, finding a condom in the depths of his bedside drawer. And then Rose lifted her hips and _finally_ sunk down on him.

Rose gasped as he stretched her in the best possible way, and the Doctor groaned underneath her, digging his fingers into her hips.

After a moment of enjoying this intimacy, Rose lifted her hips, sinking back down with a groan before she set up a rhythm that quickly brought her back to the edge. The Doctor helped her along, his hands on her hips when they didn't roam over every inch of skin he could reach. Arousal coiled tight in her lower abdomen; the pleasure clouding her senses as she picked up speed.

The Doctor suddenly pushed himself up into a sitting position, adjusting their angle so that his chest was flush against hers and her legs wrapped around his hips. He crushed his mouth to hers for a wet kiss, nibbling on her bottom lip and chasing her tongue into her mouth. His fingers curled around her hips, lifting her up and slamming her down again. Rose gasped as her clit rubbed against his pelvis, and when he repeated the motion her pleasure finally overwhelmed her and she came with a shout, grabbing his shoulders for support. The Doctor didn't stop his movements and seconds later he followed her, his muscles tensing and his breath coming in quick pants against her ear.

Letting out a satisfied hum, Rose slumped against his chest, her whole body tingling. The Doctor wrapped his arms around her and held her close as he buried his nose into her hair.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, content to be in each others arms, before the Doctor pressed a kiss to the side of her head and gently lifted her off him. Rose slumped back onto the mattress and sleepily blinked up to him. She made a noise of protest in the back of her throat as the Doctor eased out of bed, but he just quickly binned the condom before crawling back under the sheets.

He curled his body around her and Rose shifted until her head rested on his chest and his heartbeat filled her ears. The Doctor combed his fingers through her hair, the gentle motions making her limbs feel heavy as her sleepiness grew.

“Are you...” the Doctor began, trailing off before he could finish the sentence. The uncertainty in his voice made Rose look up. The Doctor met his gaze, his eyes wide and vulnerable.

“What is it?” Rose asked as she raised her hand to cup his cheek.

The Doctor leaned into her touch and gulped. “Are you going to stay tonight?”

Rose's features dissolved into a frown, but she was quick to reassure him when she noticed the flash of panic crossing his face. She pushed herself up, hovering above him, and pressed a kiss to his lips.

“Course I'm gonna stay,” she said when she pulled back. “As long as you want.”

The Doctor watched her for a second before his lips curled into a smile. “You know, that might be a while.”

“Good, cause I'm not planning to leave any time soon,” Rose grinned, relieved when she saw at least a bit of tension leaving the Doctor's features. She lay back down next to him, pressing her body close to his.

“What's this about?” she asked after a moment of silence. Her voice was low and gentle and the Doctor let out a long breath.

“It's just... my family, they're all gone. My friends leave; they move on with their life. People in my life usually just don't... they don't stay.” He raked a hand through his hair, not meeting her eyes. “Sooner or later I end up alone. So I'm scared to... I don't know. To muck this up. Told you I'm not good with this.”

Rose curled an arm around his chest, her fingers moving in a soft caress right over his heart until the Doctor finally turned to look at her. She gave him a smile and leaned forward to press a kiss to his shoulder.

“I'm not going anywhere,” she said. The Doctor let out a long breath before he wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her closer.

“Be careful, you might regret that promise,” he said, laughter in his voice as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“Don't think so.” Rose smiled, snuggling closer into his embrace. She let out a sleepy sigh against his skin and let her eyes fall shut. “Stuck with you, that's not so bad.”


End file.
